Tips for using the Geographical Atlas correctly in multiple-choice exams.

In the 2017 National High School Graduation Examination, Geography was included for the first time in a multiple-choice format. Candidates had 50 minutes to complete 40 multiple-choice geography questions. These included practical skills questions such as reading the Vietnam Geography Atlas, interpreting charts and graphs, and analyzing statistical data tables.

This difference requires candidates to make appropriate adjustments in their Geography study and review.

1. Be familiar with the symbols in the map legend.

Students need to be familiar with the general symbols for topography, minerals, agriculture, industry, forestry, and fisheries... on page 3 of the Atlas, because some maps in the Atlas do not have legends, such as the mineral map on page 8, the general industry map on page 21, and the agriculture and forestry map on pages 18 and 19...

2. Understand the structure of the Vietnamese geographical atlas.

The structure of the 12th-grade Geography textbook and the Atlas are similar. If the 12th-grade Geography textbook is structured into four basic knowledge units: Physical Geography, Population Geography, Geography of Economic Sectors, and Geography of Economic Regions, then the Atlas of Vietnamese Geography is structured similarly.

In the Atlas of Vietnamese Geography, it is divided into:

- Part 1: Physical Geography (pages 4 to 14).

- Part 2: Population Geography (pages 15 to 16).

- Part 3: Geography of Economic Sectors (pages 17 to 25).

- Part 4: Geography of Economic Regions (pages 26 to 30).

This approach helps to synthesize knowledge more scientifically for both theoretical questions and saves time during the exam.

3. Know how to interpret the diagrams found in atlas maps.

Typically, each economic sector map includes one or two charts (bar, line, pie, etc.) alongside it, showing the increase or decrease in total output value or area (for agriculture and forestry) of the economic sectors. Students need to know how to utilize these charts in related lessons to avoid having to memorize a lot of data in the theoretical part.

4. Read the question carefully and apply it to the Atlas.

All questions requiring a description of production distribution or specifying the location and reasons for that industry can be answered using the atlas's maps. For questions asking about the development of production or the growth process of a particular industry, students can also find some data in the charts within the atlas.

5. Know how to use enough maps in the Atlas for a given question.

Based on the content of the question and whether it requires answering one or multiple issues, students can identify the necessary map pages in the Atlas by referring to the table of contents at the end of the Atlas (page 31).

- For geography multiple-choice questions, you only need to use one map page from the atlas to answer, such as: Describe the mineral resources in our country? For this question, using only the "Geology-Minerals" map on page 8 is sufficient.

To answer the question, "Comment on the population distribution in our country?" - simply using the "Population" map on page 15 is sufficient.

- Multiple-choice questions that require using multiple map pages in the atlas to answer include:

Multiple-choice questions assess the potential (strengths) of an industry. For example, when evaluating the potential of the energy industry, students not only use mineral maps to see the potential for developing these industries but also use industrial maps to see the role of this industry in relation to other industries, and use river maps to see the potential for hydropower development, etc.

However, the most important thing is that students need to master geographical skills, practice test-taking skills, and prepare for multiple-choice exams in order to achieve good academic results and high scores in the upcoming national high school graduation exam.

According to Giaoducthoidai